In the city’s first exhibition dedicated to fashion, highlights from The Box’s costume and textile collection will be displayed alongside paintings, drawings, film and archival material to tell important local and international stories about fashion and clothing.

‘Dress Code – Fashion Stories from The Box’ spans the 1700s to today and speaks to contemporary conversations about identity, sustainability, shopping, design, making and craft.

A paper dress from the 1960s foretells the future of fast fashion, while a 300 year old silk gown tells the story of global textile trade. A subversive garment made locally, and worn all around the world, represents one of several of the city’s histories of garment production.

Keep an eye out for extra research linked to the exhibition which will be featured on a regular basis on The Box’s blog, plus a range of talks and special events.